Modular jack having a plug-positioning member

Abstract

A modular jack 200 includes a jack housing 220 with an opening 225 in its front end that is adapted to receive a modular plug 100. Within the opening there are a number of jack springs 215 for making electrical contact with metallic blades 120 that are installed in the plug. Variations in the actual position 211 where the plug blades make contact with the jack springs are reduced by the inclusion of a positioning member within the housing. This is extremely important in situations where the modular plug includes crosstalk compensation, since positional variations affect the amount of crosstalk compensation needed. In one embodiment, the positioning member comprises a cam 228 that engages a flexible latch 130 on the modular plug to create an axial force “F1” that pushes the plug toward a retaining surface 229 within the housing. In another embodiment, the positioning member comprises a spring 213, other than the jack springs, that engages a rigid surface 135 on the modular plug to create an axial force “F2” that pushes the plug toward the fixed retaining surface.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A modular jack having a longitudinal axis that extends between front and back ends thereof, the front end having an opening within the jack that is shaped to receive a modular plug, the opening including a retaining surface that precludes movement of the plug in an axial direction toward the opening after the plug is installed in the opening, said jack including a plurality of jack springs that are disposed within the opening at acute angles with respect to the longitudinal axis and are positioned to make electrical contact with a plurality of metallic blades that are contained within the modular plug, 
       CHARACTERIZED IN THAT  
       the modular jack further includes a positioning member comprising a substantially rigid cam that is positioned to engage and displace a flexible member on the modular plug after the modular plug is installed in the opening in order to generate a restorative force that causes the modular plug to move axially toward the retaining surface, thereby reducing positional variation in the axial direction between the plug and jack.  
     
     
       2. The modular jack of claim  1  wherein the modular jack further includes apparatus for providing crosstalk compensation. 
     
     
       3. The modular jack of claim  1  wherein the positioning member is arranged to cause axial movement of the modular plug from the back end of the housing toward the front end thereof. 
     
     
       4. The modular jack of claim  1  wherein the flexible member on the modular plug comprises a cantilever latch. 
     
     
       5. The modular jack of claim  1  wherein the jack springs all disposed at angles within the range between 13 and 24 degrees. 
     
     
       6. The modular jack of claim  5  wherein all of the jack springs are disposed at substantially the same angle. 
     
     
       7. In combination, 
       a modular plug comprising a dielectric housing member having a front end, a top side and a bottom side, the plug further comprising a plurality of metallic blades that are installed in the top side of the dielectric housing member and a flexible cantilever latch that is positioned on the bottom side of the dielectric housing member; and  
       a modular jack having a longitudinal axis that extends between front and back ends thereof, the front end having an opening that is shaped to receive the modular plug, the opening including a retaining surface that precludes movement of the plug in an axial direction toward the opening after the plug is installed in the opening, said jack including a plurality of jack springs that are disposed within the opening at acute angles with respect to the longitudinal axis and are positioned to make electrical contact with the plurality of metallic blades,  
       CHARACTERIZED IN THAT  
       the modular jack further includes a positioning member comprising a substantially rigid cam that is positioned to engage and displace a flexible region of the flexible cantilever latch after the modular plug is installed in the opening in order to generate a restorative force that causes the modular plug to move axially toward the retaining surface, thereby reducing positional variation in the axial direction between the modular plus and jack.  
     
     
       8. The combination of claim  7  further including an electrical cord containing a plurality of insulated wires, which are attached to the plurality of metallic blades. 
     
     
       9. The combination of claim  7  wherein the positioning member is arranged to cause axial movement of the modular plug from the back end of the housing toward the front end thereof. 
     
     
       10. A modular plug comprising a dielectric housing member having a front end, a top side and a bottom side, the plug further comprising a plurality of metallic blades that are installed in the top side of the dielectric housing member and a flexible cantilever latch that is positioned on the bottom side of the housing; and 
       a modular jack having a longitudinal axis that extends between front and back ends thereof, the front end having an opening that is shaped to receive the modular plug, the opening including a retaining surface that precludes movement of the plug in an axial direction toward the opening after the plug is installed in the opening, said jack including a plurality of jack springs that are disposed within the opening at acute angles with respect to the longitudinal axis and are positioned to make electrical contact with the plurality of metallic blades,  
       CHARACTERIZED IN THAT  
       said jack further includes a jack housing having front and back ends, and a spring block assembly, which is installed in the back end of the housing, said spring block assembly including circuitry for introducing a compensating crosstalk signal between selected conductors within the jack, the polarity of said compensating crosstalk signal being opposite in sign to the polarity of an offending crosstalk signal, which is generated within the modular plug, the modular jack further including a positioning member other than the jack springs, generating a restorative force that causes the modular plug to move axially toward the retaining surface, wherein the positioning member is mounted on the spring block assembly at a location that enables it to engage the modular plug after the plug is installed in the front end of the jack housing and the spring block assembly is installed in the back end of the jack housing.  
     
     
       11. The combination of claim  10  wherein the positioning member comprises a metallic leaf spring. 
     
     
       12. A modular jack having a longitudinal axis that extends between front and back ends thereof, the front end having an opening within the jack that is shaped to receive a modular plug, the opening including a retaining surface that precludes movement of the plug in an axial direction toward the opening after the plug is installed in the opening, said jack including a plurality of jack springs that are disposed within the opening at acute angles with respect to the longitudinal axis and are positioned to make electrical contact with a plurality of metallic blades that are contained within the modular plug, 
       CHARACTERIZED IN THAT  
       the modular jack further includes a housing and a positioning member, wherein the positioning member is flexible and is mounted on a spring block assembly installed in a back end of the housing, said spring block assembly including circuitry for introducing a compensating crosstalk signal between selected conductors within the jack, the polarity of said compensating crosstalk signal being opposite in sign to the polarity of an offending crosstalk signal which is generated within the modular plug, said positioning member being at a location that enables it to engage the modular plug after the plug is installed in a front end of the jack housing and the spring block assembly is installed in the back end of the jack housing, said positioning member causing the modular plug to move axially toward the retaining surface in order to reducing positional variation in the axial direction between the plug and jack.  
     
     
       13. The modular jack of claim  12  wherein the positioning member comprises a leaf spring.